Collapsible hollow form for concrete construction work



. CAMP.

E. COLLAPSIBLE HOLLOW FORM FOR CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION WORK.

APPLlCATlOW FILED MAR, 13

Patented. Oct. 28, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

THE COLUMBIA PLANon-mvu 4-0., WASHINGTON. n. c.

E. M. CAMP.

COLLAPSIBLE HOLLOW FORM FOR CONCRETE CO NSTRUCTION WORK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13. 1919.

Patented Oct. 28,1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iv FER.

nnvnv M. CAMP, on DENVER, oononano,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1919. Serial No. 282,290.

To all whom it may concern:

, Be it known that I, ERVIN M. CAMP, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented a new and useful Collapsible Hollow Form for Concrete Construction-Work,of which'the following is a specification.

, My invention relates to collapsible hollow forms for concrete culvert and other concrete construction work, and is designed as an improvement over a collapsible form, for which a patent of the United States was granted to me on the 14th day of November, 1916, numbered 1,204,936.

The objects-of my invention are:

First, to provide a fool-proof concrete molding form that can be set up ready to receive the concrete, and then after the concrete is poured into it and has time to harden, can be taken down by any laborer of common intelligence.

Second, to provide a collapsible concrete form adapted to mold concrete into culvert-s and also into other forms of concrete work, such as hollow columns, circular or half circular beams, and other forms of concrete members that can be molded either with iron or steel reinforcing rods, or wire screens, netting or lattice forms of metal reinforcing material.

Third, to provide a collapsible concrete molding form, comprising an outer casing, and inner tubular member, or sleeve, that is spaced from but bolted to-the outer casing, and that is composed of a bottom member, and opposite side members that are hinged to the opposite ends of the bottom member; and a centrally located top member that is pivotally secured at both of its opposite ends to one or the other of the side members in such a manner that one side of this top member can be. freed to swing down into the inside or interior of the tubular member, and in which either one or both of the side members of the tubular sleeve may be freed from the outside casing as desired, thus obviating the necessity of removing any particular bolt of any particular member of the inner sleeve first, in order to collapse the sleeve. v

Fourth, to provlde a simple, practical and durable concrete molding collapsible form that has been especially adapted to mold culverts or pipes of concrete, for use through railroad embankments, also for vehicle roads and for land and swamp drainage use.

Fifth, to provide a collapsible concrete molding form that is light of weight, and that when collapsed is easily transported from one place to another, as it takes up but very'little space.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a transverse, vertical sectional view through the improved collapsible form.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the inner or tubular member of the form, showing the same as it appears when collapsed, and ready for transportation.

. Fig.3 is a side elevation of a section of the form, on a smaller scale than either Fig. l or Fig. 2.

Fig. L is a vertical, longitudinal sectional view of the section shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan view, showing the arrangement of the hinge which connects the bottom and side sections of the inner tubular member.

Fig. 6 is a similar view, showing angle plates which are secured to the bottom and side sections of the inner member, and which bear one against the other, and lock the sections together when in place.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through a portion of the inner and outer casing, and showing one of the bolts which secures the said casings together in spaced relation.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental plan view, showing one of the bolt receiving nuts of the top section of the inner member ofthe form, and the lever secured thereto, by which the said top sectionis removably attached to one of the side sections; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional View, showing one of the locking pins by which the adjoining ends of the forms are secured together.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughoutthe several views.

Referring to the drawings Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, illustrate a collapsible form embodying my invention. r

In these .views the numeral. 1 designates outer casing members which are composed of a supporting frame of angle-bars, the inside surfaces of which are covered over with vsheet iron, which extends through the length and breadth of the casing. This outer casing consists of two similarly constructed members which stand vertically on the ground, or on a suitable foundation of rock or planking, and they are secured to an inner tubular form by bolts, the inner ends of which are threaded to the tubular form in a manner to be presently described.

Each of the two sections 1, which constitute the outside casing, comprises a longitudinal angle iron base member 2, that extends along its full length and forms a ground engaging support for the section, a longitudinal'angle bar 3 which forms the upper edge of the section, and curved angle bars 4; and 5, which terminate near their lower ends in vertically disposed portions, and which are secured at their extremities, to the angle bars 2 and 3 respectively. These angle bars form a frai'nework upon the inner face of which is secured a sheet iron wall 6, which. extends the whole length and height of the frame, and which is riveted or welded to the angle bars, as shown in Fig. 3. The sections 1 are arcs of a circle whose center is the axial center of the form. To the upper end portions of the curved angle bars 5 are secured angle plates 7, which are riveted to the outwardly projecting wings of the said angle bars; and similar angle plates 8 are secured to these angle bars 5, near where their curved portions merge into the vertical portions. The uni'iveted, or free wings of the angle plates 7 and S extend over and above the wings of the angle bars to which the sheet iron wall 6 is riveted, and these free wings of the angle plates, and also the riveted wings of the angle bars 5, are provided with bolt holes, which radiate from the axial center of the form. Through a pair of these alined bolt holes is passed a bolt 9, the outer end of which is squared to receive a wrench, while its inner end portion is slightly reduced in diameter to form a shoulder 10, and the reduced portion is threaded, as shown in Fig. 7. Athreaded aperture is formed in the riveted wing of each of the angle plates 7 and 8, and also in each of the wings of the angle bars 5, to which the angle plates are riveted, the holes in each case being in line and forming a single threaded aperture; and in each of these apertures is screwed a thumb screw 11, the inner end of which is adapted to engage an annular groove 12 in the bolt 9. By this arrangement the bolt is held against endwise movement, in its bearing holes, but is permitted to turn freely in the said bearing holes, as will be understood by reference to 7. The bolts 9 are adapted to support the inner tubular member 13, of the form, so that the said inner member shall be separated from the outer sections by a suitable space, and concentric with the said sections,

the construction of the member 13, and the way in which it is secured by the bolts 9 to the sections 1, being as follows: The inner tubular member 13 is of a corresponding length with'the outer sections 1, and com prises four longitudinal members or sections, each of which is an arc of the circle described by the completed member, each of these arc sections comprising a frame made up of longitudinal angle bars, which are connected by curved transversely arranged angle bars, to the outer faces of which is riveted a sheet iron plate or wall. The longitudinal angle bars 14, of the lower section of the inner member 13, form the side edges ofthe section, and are positioned back to back. These bars are connected by curved end angle bars 15, and by intermediate angle bars 16, and to these bars is riveted the sheet iron wall 17, the side edges of which are bent around the outer wings of the longitudinal bars 14, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The side sections of the inner member are each made-up of longitudinal angle bars 18 and 19, which are connected by curved end angle bars 20, and similar intermediate bars 21., and to these bars riveted a sheet iron wall 2. The angle bars 14: of the lower section have bolted thereto, near their opposite ends, hinge plates 22, and these hinge plates are pivotally secured to similar hinge plates 23, which are bolted to the angle bars 18, of the side sections, and in this manner a side section is hinged to each side edge of the bottom section. The top section of the inner member is of less width than the other sections, and is made up of longitudinal side angle bars 24, which are connected by curve-d end angle bars 25, and curved intermediate angle bars 26, a sheet iron wall 27 being rivetedto the said angle bars. The wings of the bars 19 of the side sections are at an obtuse angle to each other,

and the inwardly extending wing of each. bar is provided near each end, with a hole 28, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. Nuts 29 and 29, are pivotally se cured respectively to the end portions of each angle bar 24, in line with the intermediate bars 26, each nut being provided with short oppositely projecting pins or studs 30, which are mounted in holes formed in angle plates 81, which are bolted to the angle bars 241, as shown in Figs. 2 and 8, the wing of the angle bar 24 which extends over the nu; being cut away between the angle plates 31, to permit of the nut being rocked or turned on its pivots. The upper wings of the flanges 24 lie b neath and against the upper wings of the flanges 19, of the side sections, when the top section is in place, and to accomplish this, and yet have the wall 27 of the top section of the same radius as the walls of the side and bottom sections, the bars 24: are dropped slightly below the outer face ofthe bars 25 and 26, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that when they lie under the bars 19, the wall ofthe topsection will 'be the same distance from the axial center of the innerfmember, as the walls of the bottom and side sections. Upon the curved angle bars 21 of the side sections, and adjacent, the lower longitudinal bars 18 are secured metal blocks 32 having threaded apertures in radial lines. with the axial center of the inner member, and also with the holes in the angle plates 8 on the angle bars 5, and thethreaded ends of the bolts 9, which extend through these angle plates and through the curved angle bars 5, pass through holes in the curved angle bars 21, and into the threaded holes in the blocks 32, the shoulders 10 of the said bolts bearing against the walls of the said side sections. The bolts 9 in the upper. angle plates 7 pass through holes in the outer wings of the angle bars 19, and into the nuts 29 and 29 respectively. The distance between the an nular groove 12, andthe shoulder 10, on all of the bolts 9, is the same, therefore, when all of the bolts 9 are turned until their shoulders 1O engage the walls of the side sections of the inner member, the said inner member is *held in a position concentric with the outer members, the space between the inner and outer members being determined by the length of the bolts 9. Each nut 29 is provided with an arm or lever 33, in the form of a piece of rod of suitable length, one end of which is'thre'aded, and is screwed, into a threaded aperture in the side of thenut farthest from the inner flange of the bar 24. These levers 33 pass throughthe holes 28 in the adjacent angle bar 19, and their free end portions bear against the outer'wings of theangle bars 21. The levers 33 perform. the following function; When ,the form is set up in the manner shown in Fig. 1, it is ready to receive the concrete, as will be hereinafter explained, and when it is desired to take the form down, the upper bolts 9, of either one ofthe outer frames, may be unscrewed. but before they are unscrewed, the thumb screws 11, which enter the annular grooves 12 in the bolts, are first turned to withdraw them from the said annular grooves, so that the bolts canmove outward as they are unscrewed from the nuts 29 and 29 Ifthejbolts are first with drawn from the nuts 29 not having the levers 33, the top 7 as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and the section will be supported by the nuts 29 which in turn are supported by the levers 33 which pass through the holes 28 in the angle bars 19, their ends bearing against the curved angle bars 21. If, however, the bolts are first withdrawn from the nuts 29* having the levers 33, the said levers will hold the nuts and prevent thesection from swinging on the opposite pair of nuts 29, and;v the section will be held in place until after the section will swing down,

. leveled. The concrete taken down, no matter which of the nuts 29 or 29 is first released by the bolts 9. W hen bothnuts 29 and 29 at each end of the section have been released, the section is removed by withdrawing the levers 33 from the holes 28 in the angle bars 19. It will be understood that the levers 33 may be placed in the holes 28, in either of the angle bars 19. -VV hen the form is taken down the inner member may be folded in the manner shown in Fig. 2, so as to take up the smallest amount of space, and also to facilitate its transportation from place to place. As manyof the forms are used at one time as conditions may require, and the forms are secured together in end to end alinement, in the following manner: The angle bars 4, at one end of: the outer form sections are provided with a plurality of bolt receiv ing holes 34:, preferably three, and the opposite ends, angle bars of these sections are provided with bolts 35, which are slidably mounted in bearing members 36, which are secured' to the angle bars 4, as shown in Figs. 3 and 9. These bolts extend through holes in the outwardly extending wings of the angle bars upon which they are mounted, and are in line with the holes 3 of the end angle'bars of the adjoining form section, and to secure the sections together in end to end alinement, it is only necessary to slide the bolts on one section through the holes 34 of the end'angle bars of the adjoining section, and the bolts are held in the holes 3% by a cotter pin, or a nail 37, which is passed through a hole in the end of the bolt. These bolts are held against rotation by pins 38, which are secured in the bolts, and enter slots 39 in the bearing members 36. By this means the bolts are always in to the bars 18 of the side sections, a. shown in Figs. 4. and 6, and these plates cooperate with the hinges in preventing sliding action of the sections, one upon the other.

In operation, as many of the forms are coupled together as may be required, and their ends are covered in any suitable manner, as by boards, the forms being supported upon a base constructed of boards, or upon the ground, which has first been'properly is poured in at the top of the forms, between the bars 3 of the outer section, which are separated by an ample space, as shown in Fig. 1. The concrete flows down between the walls of the inner and outer members of the forms, and beneath the inner members, and settles on the base, and the space is filled to the level of the bars 3. When the concrete has become thoroughly hard or set, the forms are taken down in the manner before described, by removing all of the bolts and Withdrawing the inner section from the hardened culvert section, and are again set up so as to abut against one end of the completed culvert section, and in this way the operation is c0ntinued until a culvert of the required length is built.

The construction of the forms enables them to be used for an indefinite period, by the exercise of reasonable care, this feature giving them a great advantage over forms made of wood which must be dismantled after each operation. The invention contemplates the use of forms of any practicable shape in cross section.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desir to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a molding form of the character described, an inner tubular member, comprising a lower section, side sections hinged to the ends of the lower section, and a top the side edges of which overlap the free edges of the side sections, nuts pivotally mounted in one of the side edge portions oi the top section, levers in said nuts which extend into and are fulcrumed in the adjacent side section, nuts in the opposite side edge portion of the top section, arc-shaped outer members spaced from and concentric with the inner member, lower radial bolts which extend through the outer members and into the side sections of the inner member and upper bolts which also extend through the outer members, through the overlapping edges of the side and top sections, and into the nuts of the top section, and means preventing endwise movement of all of the bolts in the outside members, but permitting their rotation therein.

2. In a molding form of the character described, a collapsible tubular inner member comprising a lower section, side sections hinged to the ends of the lower section, and

a top section the side edges of which overlap the adjoining side edges of the side sections, nuts pivotally moimted in the side edges of the top member, levers secured to the nuts in one of the side edges and fulcrumed in the edge of the adjacent side member, radial bolts extending through the outer members, having reduced threaded end Copies of thiapatent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the .Gommissioner of Patents,

portions which extend through the said overlapping edges and enter said nuts, radial bolts which extend through the outer members and enter threaded portions ofthe side sections adjacent their hinge connections with the bottom section, and threaded means preventing endwise movement of the bolts in the outer member but permitting their rotation therein, said levers being adapted to hold the nuts to which they are attached, so that the top section will swing upon said nuts when the bolts are withdrawn therefrom.

3. In a molding form of the character de scribed, an inner tubular member comprising a lower section, side sections hinged to the lower section, and a top section secured to the side sections, and engaging members on the bottom and side sections which pro vent'endwise movement of the sections one upon the other.

4:. In a molding form of the character described, an inner tubular, collapsible form, comprising bottom and side sections in hinged relation, and a top section the side edges of which overlap the side edges of the side sections, outer members concentric with and spaced from the inner tubular member, bolts which pass through the outer members and through the overlapping edges of the side and top sections of the inner member, other bolts which pass through the side members, and into the inner member below its axial center, said bolts being adapted to define and maintain the space between the outer and inner members.

5. In a molding form of the character described, arc shaped outer members, a collapsible, tubular inner member comprising a lower section, side sections hinged thereto, and a top section whose side edges overlap those of the side sections, nuts pivotally connected to the side edges of the top section, and levers projecting from the nuts on one side of the section and tulcrumed in the edge portion of the adjacent side section, whereby the latter nuts are supported, bolts which extend through the outer members, through the overlapping edges of the side and top sections and into said nuts, and other bolts which extend through the outer sections and into the side sections, said bolts being adapted to hold the outer and inner sections in spaced concentric relation one with the other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatur Washington, :0. c." 

